Filter connection for a smoke evacuation device

ABSTRACT

A filter connection for a smoke evacuation device includes a filter canister assembly and a socket. The filter canister assembly has a cross-sectional shape with only one line of symmetry that corresponds to a cross-sectional shape of the socket so that the filter canister can only be inserted into the socket in one orientation. One or more key notches on the filter canister may also ensure that the filter is properly installed. A seal creates an airtight boundary between the filter canister and a recess of the socket so that a sealed path in communication with the smoke evacuation device is established before the filter canister is fully inserted into the socket. An electronic connection is made between the filter canister and the socket after the airtight boundary is created.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/826,325, filed Nov. 29, 2017, and entitledFilter Connection for a Smoke Evacuation Device, the entire content ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to smoke evacuation systems used inelectrosurgical systems. More specifically, the present disclosurerelates to apparatus and methods of connecting filters in smokeevacuation systems.

2. The Relevant Technology

As is known to those skilled in the art, modern surgical techniquestypically employ radio frequency (RF) power to cut tissue and coagulatebleeding encountered in performing surgical procedures. Suchelectrosurgery is widely used and offers many advantages including theuse of a single surgical instrument for both cutting and coagulation. Amonopolar electrosurgical generator system has an active electrode, suchas in the form of an electrosurgical instrument having a hand piece anda conductive electrode or tip, which is applied by the surgeon to thepatient at the surgical site to perform surgery and a return electrodeto connect the patient back to the generator.

The electrode or tip of the electrosurgical instrument is small at thepoint of contact with the patient to produce an RF current with a highcurrent density in order to produce a surgical effect of cutting orcoagulating tissue through cauterization. The return electrode carriesthe same RF signal provided to the electrode or tip of theelectrosurgical instrument, after it passes through the patient, thusproviding a path back to the electrosurgical generator.

Electrosurgical instruments communicate electrical energy to a targettissue of a patient to cut the tissue and/or cauterize blood vesselswithin and/or near the target tissue. This cutting and cauterizationresult in smoke released into the air that can be unpleasant and/orobstructive of the view of a practitioner. Many electrosurgical systemsmay therefore employ a smoke evacuation system that captures theresulting smoke and directs it through a filter and exhaust port, awayfrom practitioners and/or patients.

Smoke evacuation systems typically comprise a pump and a filter. Thepump creates suction that draws smoke through a vacuum tube into thefilter. A vacuum tube may terminate at the hand piece that includes theelectrode tip so that the smoke is sucked in at the hand piece. Otherelectrosurgical systems may include separate hand pieces that are usedto suck the smoke into the system. The smoke travels to the filter via avacuum tube and offensive smells are filtered out as the smoke movesthrough the filter. Filtered air may then exit the smoke evacuationsystem as exhaust.

The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments thatsolve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such asthose described above. Rather, this background is only provided toillustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodimentsdescribed herein may be practiced.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to smoke evacuation systems. Morespecifically, the present disclosure relates to a filter connection fora smoke evacuation device. It may be difficult to determine when filtersneed to be replaced in smoke evacuation systems, and current filterconnections can lead to faulty installations. The filter connection ofthe present disclosure may enable easy installation of filters, as wellas other features to electronically detect and communicate when filtersneed to be replaced or when an incorrect filter has been installed.

In one embodiment, a filter connection for a smoke evacuation systemincludes a filter canister and a socket. The filter canister comprisesfirst and second ends, a body extending between the first and secondends, a connection nipple, a seal disposed around the connection nipple,and a first electronic connector. The socket comprises a first recessconfigured to receive the canister body, a second recess configured toreceive the connection nipple, and a second electronic connector. Thelongitudinal distance between the seal and the first electronicconnector is greater than the longitudinal distance between the secondrecess of the socket and the second electronic connector.

In one embodiment, a filter canister for a smoke evacuation systemincludes a first end having an inlet port, a second end, an electronicconnector, and a connection nipple disposed at the second end. Thecross-sectional shape of the second end of the filter canister has onlyone line of symmetry. The electronic connector is disposed at the secondend of the filter canister.

In one embodiment, a method for connecting a filter in a smokeevacuation system includes the following steps: providing a filtercanister; providing a socket in the smoke evacuation system; insertingthe filter canister a first distance into the socket so that the filtercanister creates an airtight boundary between the filter canister andthe socket; and inserting the filter canister a second distance into thesocket so that an electronic connection is made between the filtercanister and the socket. The second distance is greater than the firstdistance.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subjectmatter.

Additional features and advantages of the disclosed embodiments will beset forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obviousfrom the description, or may be learned by the practice of thedisclosure. These and other features will become more fully apparentfrom the following description and appended claims, or may be learned bythe practice of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of thepresent invention, a more particular description of the invention willbe rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which areillustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that thesedrawings depict only illustrated embodiments of the invention and aretherefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention willbe described and explained with additional specificity and detailthrough the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary electrosurgical system;

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic of an embodiment of a smoke evacuationsystem;

FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a smokeevacuation system;

FIG. 3B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the system illustrated inFIG. 3A, wherein an embodiment of a socket is shown;

FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a filtercanister assembly;

FIG. 4B illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a filtercanister assembly;

FIG. 5A illustrates a schematic of a cross-sectional shape of one end ofa filter canister assembly and an opening of a socket;

FIG. 5B illustrates a schematic of a cross-sectional shape of one end ofa filter canister assembly and an opening of a socket;

FIG. 5C illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a filtercanister;

FIG. 5D illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a socket of asmoke evacuation system;

FIG. 6A illustrates a cross-sectional view of a filter canister assemblypartially inserted into a socket;

FIG. 6B illustrates a cross-sectional view of a filter canister assemblyfully inserted into a socket; and

FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart describing a method for connecting acanister to a smoke evacuation system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to smoke evacuation systems. Morespecifically, the present disclosure relates to a filter connection fora smoke evacuation device. It may be difficult to determine when filtersneed to be replaced in smoke evacuation systems, and current filterconnections can lead to faulty installations. The filter connection ofthe present disclosure may enable easy installation of filters, as wellas other features to electronically detect and communicate when filtersneed to be replaced or when an incorrect filter has been installed.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary electrosurgical system 100. Theillustrated embodiment includes a signal generator 102, anelectrosurgical instrument 104, a return electrode 106, and a smokeevacuation system 120. Generator 102, in one embodiment, is an RF wavegenerator that produces RF electrical energy. Connected toelectrosurgical instrument 104 is a utility conduit 108. In theillustrated embodiment, utility conduit 108 includes a cable 110 thatcommunicates electrical energy from generator 102 to electrosurgicalinstrument 104. The illustrated utility conduit 108 also includes avacuum hose 112 that conveys captured/collected smoke and/or fluid awayfrom a surgical site.

Generally, electrosurgical instrument 104 includes a hand piece orpencil 114 and an electrode tip 116. Electrosurgical instrument 104communicates electrical energy to a target tissue of a patient to cutthe tissue and/or cauterize blood vessels within and/or near the targettissue. Specifically, an electrical discharge is delivered fromelectrode tip 116 to the patient in order to cause heating of cellularmatter of the patient that is in close contact with or adjacent toelectrode tip 116. The tissue heating takes place at an appropriatelyhigh temperature to allow electrosurgical instrument 104 to be used toperform electrosurgery. Return electrode 106 is connected to generator102 by a cable 118, and is either applied to or placed in closeproximity to the patient (depending on the type of return electrode), inorder to complete the circuit and provide a return electrical path towave generator 102 for energy that passes into the patient's body.

The heating of cellular matter of the patient by the electrode tip 116,or cauterization of blood vessels to prevent bleeding, results in smokebeing released where the cauterization takes place. The electrosurgicalinstrument 104 may comprise a smoke evacuation conduit opening 122 nearthe electrode tip 116 so as to be able to capture the smoke that isreleased during a procedure. Vacuum suction may draw the smoke into theconduit opening 122, through the electrosurgical instrument 104, andinto the vacuum hose 112 toward the smoke evacuation system 120.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a smoke evacuation system 300. Thesmoke evacuation system 300 may include a filter 306 and an airflow path308. The airflow path 308 may comprise a pump 310 disposed in-line withthe airflow path 308 producing a pressure difference within the airflowpath 308 by mechanical action. This pressure difference may causemovement of a gas through the airflow path 308. The gas drawn throughthe airflow path 308 may be smoke 302, or the filtered air remainingafter the smoke 302 has passed through the filter 306. A motor 312drives the pump 310.

The smoke evacuation system 300 may also include an exhaust mechanism314 that may also be disposed in-line with the airflow path 308. Theexhaust mechanism 314 may be a mechanism that controls the velocity,direction, and/or other properties of the filtered gas 304 exiting thesmoke evacuation system 300 at the outlet port 324.

The airflow path 308 may be disposed between an inlet port 322 and anoutlet port 324. The smoke 302 may flow into the filter 306 at the inletport 322, be pumped through the airflow path 308 by the pump 310 so thatthe smoke 302 is drawn through the filter 306, through the exhaustmechanism 314, and out the outlet port 324 of the smoke evacuationsystem 300. The air exiting the smoke evacuation system 300 at theoutlet port 324 may be the exhaust 304. The exhaust 304 may consist offiltered air/gas that has passed through the smoke evacuation system 300and exits through the outlet port 324.

The airflow path 308 may comprise a first zone 316 and a second zone318. The first zone 316 may be upstream from the pump 306 and the secondzone 318 may be downstream from the pump 306. The pump 306 maypressurize the air in the airflow path 308 so that the air in the secondzone 318 has a higher pressure than the air in the first zone 316.

The smoke evacuation system 300 may also include a housing 320. FIG. 2illustrates a cross-sectional view of a smoke evacuation system 300 toshow the various components within the housing 320. The housing 320 maycompletely or partially encompass the smoke evacuation system 300. Theairflow path 308 may be at least partially comprised of a tube or otherconduit that substantially contains and/or isolates the air movingthrough the airflow path 308 from air outside the airflow path 308.

For example, the first zone 316 of the airflow path 308 may comprise atube through which the airflow path 308 extends between the filter 306and the pump 310. The second zone 318 of the airflow path 308 may alsocomprise a tube through which the airflow path 308 extends between thepump 310 and the exhaust mechanism 314. The airflow path 308 alsoextends through the filter 306, pump 310, and exhaust mechanism 314 sothat a continuous airflow path 308 extends from the inlet port 322 tothe outlet port 324.

FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view of a smoke evacuation system 300.The smoke evacuation system 300 may include a socket 326 configured toreceive a filter 306. The filter 306 is not shown in FIG. 3A in order toillustrate the socket 326. The socket 326 may have a first recess 328and a second recess 332. A transition surface 330 extends between thefirst recess 328 and the second recess 332. The socket 326 may be shapedto receive a filter 306 into the socket so that the filter 306 fitssnuggly into the socket 326.

FIG. 3B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the smoke evacuationsystem 300 of FIG. 3A. FIG. 3B illustrates a cross-sectional view ofplane 334 illustrated in FIG. 3A that passes through the socket 326. Asshown in FIG. 3B, the socket comprises a first end 336 that is open toreceive a filter 306 and a second end 338 in communication with theairflow path 308. A filter 306 may be inserted and removed from thefirst end 336 of the socket 326.

The socket 326 may also include a transition surface 330 configured toreceive a second end of a filter canister assembly, a second recess 332configured to receive a connection nipple, and an electronic connector340. More details regarding filter canister assembly, including thebody, second end, connection nipple, and electronic connector will begiven hereafter.

FIGS. 4A through 4B illustrate various views of an embodiment of afilter canister assembly 342. FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view ofthe filter canister assembly 342. The filter canister assembly 342 mayinclude a first end 344 and a second end 346. The second end 346 of thefilter canister 342 may be at least partially conical. A canister body348 may be disposed between the first end 344 and the second end 346 ofthe canister assembly 342. The filter canister assembly 342 may beconfigured to be inserted into the socket 326 of the smoke evacuationsystem 300.

A plate 350 may be disposed on the first end 344 of the canisterassembly 342 so that the canister assembly 342 may not be inserted toofar into the socket 326. When the canister assembly 342 has been fullyinserted into the socket 326, the plate 350 makes contact with the outerhousing 320 and/or the second end 346 of the canister assembly 342 abutsthe transition surface 330 of the socket 326 so that the canisterassembly 342 may not be inserted further. The second end 346 and thebody 348 of the canister assembly 342 may be able to fit into the socket326, but the plate 350 may not. The canister assembly 342 may beinserted until the plate 350 comes into contact with the outer housing320 of the smoke evacuation system 300. The plate 350 may include aninlet port 322 such as the inlet port 322 discussed above with referenceto FIG. 2. The vacuum hose 112 illustrated in FIG. 1 may connect to theinlet port 322 so that smoke may travel through the vacuum hose 112 andinto the filter canister assembly 342 at the inlet port 322.

Smoke may enter at the inlet port 322 and move through an inner pathwayof the filter 306 disposed within the body 348 of the filter canisterassembly 342. Potentially harmful and/or unpleasant toxins andparticulates may become trapped in the filter 306 as the smoke movesthrough the filter 306. The filtered gas remaining after filtration mayexit the filter canister assembly 342 through the canister outlet 352illustrated in FIG. 4B. The filter canister assembly 342 may be insertedinto the socket 326 of the smoke evacuation system 300 so that thecanister outlet 352 communicates with the airflow path 308.

FIG. 4B illustrates a perspective view of the second end 346 of thefilter canister assembly 342. The second end 346 may include aconnection nipple 354 surrounding the canister outlet 352 and a firstelectronic connector 356. In one embodiment, the first electronicconnector may be an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM)connector. The first electronic programmable connector 356 may be a maleconnector. Other embodiments may include a first electronic programmableconnector that is a female connector. The second end 346 of the canisterassembly 342 may also include a seal 358 disposed around the connectionnipple 354. More details regarding the connection nipple 354, seal 358,and electronic programmable connector 356 will be given hereafter inreference to FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B.

FIG. 5A illustrates the cross-sectional shape of the second end of afilter canister 360 and the cross-sectional shape of the first recess ofa socket 361. The cross-sectional shape of the second end of the filtercanister 360 may be similar to the cross-sectional shape of the firstrecess of the socket 361 and only slightly smaller so that the filtercanister assembly 360 may fit snuggly into the socket 361 when inserted.The cross-sectional shape of the second end of the canister assembly 360may be slightly smaller than the cross-sectional shape of the firstrecess of the socket 361 so that the filter canister 360 may be insertedtherein.

FIG. 5A illustrates teardrop shaped cross-sections 360, 361. A teardropcross sectional shape 360, 361 may ensure that the filter canister 360may only be inserted in a particular orientation so that the filtercanister 360 fits into the socket 361. Other embodiments may includecross-sectional shapes that are different from the teardrop shapeillustrated in FIG. 5A. Other embodiments may include any othercross-sectional shapes so long as the cross-sectional shape limits thecanister assembly 360 to being inserted into the socket 361 in only oneorientation.

For example, in one embodiment, the cross-sectional shape 360, 361 maybe a triangle having only one line of symmetry. Other embodiments mayinclude other cross-sectional shapes that only have one line ofsymmetry. Limiting the canister assembly 342 to a single orientation mayassure that the filter canister 360 is inserted correctly into thesocket 361.

FIG. 5B illustrates another cross-sectional shape of a filter canister362. The shape 362 shown in FIG. 5B is similar to the shape 360, 361shown in FIG. 5A, except the cross-sectional shape 362 includes a keynotch 364. The socket cross-sectional shape has a corresponding keygroove 365. FIG. 5C illustrates a canister assembly 342 that includes asecond end 346 having a cross-sectional shape 362 as shown in FIG. 5B.FIG. 5D illustrates a smoke evacuation system 300 that includes a socket326 having a first recess 328 with a cross-sectional shape 362 as shownin FIG. 5B. The key notch 366 of the second end 346 of the canisterassembly 342 must align with a key groove 368 of the first recess 328 ofthe socket 326 in order to be inserted. The key notch 366 and groove 368may further assure that the canister assembly 342 is properly insertedinto the socket 326. Other embodiments of shapes 360 and 362 arecontemplated herein. For example, a circular or square shape with a keynotch 364 may also be used.

Other embodiments may include more than one key notch 366 and groove 368at various locations around the cross sectional shape 362 so thatmultiple key notches 366 and grooves 368 on the canister assembly 342and socket 326 must be aligned before the canister assembly 342 isinserted into the socket 326. Some embodiments of a canister assembly342 may also include a body 348 that also has a cross-sectional shapeshown in FIGS. 5A and 5B and described herein so that the shape of thebody 348 corresponds to the socket 326 when it is inserted.

In some embodiments, the key notch 366 may extend along the whole lengthof the body 348 of the canister assembly 342 and the key groove 368 maynot extend along the whole length of the first recess 328 of the socket326. In other embodiments, the key notch 366 may extend along the wholelength of the body 348 of the canister assembly 342 and the key groove368 may extend along the whole length of the first recess 328 of thesocket 326. In any of the embodiments described herein, the key notch366 and groove 368 may be configured such that the canister assembly 342may not be rotated/twisted within the socket 326 once the canisterassembly 342 has been inserted into the socket 326.

One of the reasons it is important to ensure that the canister assembly342 is inserted in the correct orientation is so that the first andsecond electronic connectors 356, 340 come into contact with each other.In one embodiment, the second electronic connector 340 may be an EPROMconnector. The second electronic connector 340 may be disposed withinthe socket 326 as illustrated in FIG. 3B. The first electronic memory356 may be disposed at the second end 346 of the canister assembly 342as shown in FIG. 4B. The first and second electronic connectors 356, 340may be thus disposed so that when the canister assembly 346 and thefirst recess 328 of the socket 326 are aligned properly, the first andsecond electronic connectors 356, 340 meet when the canister assembly342 is fully inserted into the socket 326.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 4B, the first electronicconnector 356 is disposed at an upper edge of the second end 346 of thecanister assembly 342. This location corresponds to the location of thesecond electronic connector 340 disposed within the socket 326 as shownin FIG. 6A. Other embodiments may include first and second electronicconnectors 356, 340 that are positioned at various locations on thesecond end 346 of the canister assembly 342 and in the socket 326. Anylocation is suitable so long as the first and second electronicconnectors 356, 340 make contact when the canister assembly 342 isinserted into the socket 326.

Once the first and second electronic connectors 356, 340 contact eachother, the electronic memory may relay information to a user or othercomponents of the smoke evacuation system 342 regarding the filter. Suchinformation may include, but is not limited to, the number of times thefilter has been used, whether it is the correct filter, whether thefilter is still functioning properly, how much life/filtration capacityis left in the filter, and so forth. This connection enables safe,reliable, and efficient use of filters that need to be periodicallyreplaced. The electronic memory may also be used to signal that a filterhas been inserted properly and activate the smoke evacuation system 300.

FIG. 6A and 6B illustrate an embodiment of canister assembly 342inserted into socket 326. FIG. 6A illustrates canister assembly 342partially inserted into the socket 326 and FIG. 6B illustrates acanister assembly 342 fully inserted into the socket 326. Referring toFIG. 6A, the canister assembly 342 is partially inserted into the socket326 so that the connection nipple 354 is received by the second recess332 of the socket 326. The seal 358 surrounding the connection nipple354 makes contact with the inner surface of the second recess 332,creating a sealed path for a filtered gas exiting the canister assembly342 at the canister outlet 352 to enter the airflow path 308 of thesmoke evacuation system 300. In one embodiment, the seal 358 may be anO-ring. Other embodiments may include other seals 358.

The seal 358 makes contact with the inner walls of the second recess 332to create a seal between the connection nipple 354 and the second recess332 before the canister assembly 342 has been fully inserted into thesocket 326. In this partially inserted configuration, the plate 350 doesnot contact the outer housing 320 of the smoke evacuation system 300 andthe first and second electronic connectors 356, 340 do not make contactwith one another.

FIG. 6B illustrates a canister assembly 342 fully inserted into thesocket 326. When the canister assembly 342 is fully inserted into thesocket 326, the seal 358 maintains a seal around the connection nipple354 within the second recess 332. Additionally, when the canisterassembly 342 has been fully inserted into the socket 326, the plate 350makes contact with the outer housing 320 and/or the second end 346 ofthe canister assembly 342 abuts the transition surface 330 of the socket326 so that the canister assembly 342 may not be inserted further.Furthermore, when the canister assembly 342 is fully inserted, the firstand second electronic connectors 356, 340 contact one another. Theelectronic connection may then function as described above.

As discussed above, the electronic connection may activate or allow foractivation of the smoke evacuation system 300 so that a suction beginsdrawing smoke into the filter 306 through the vacuum tube 112. In theembodiments illustrated herein, the seal creates an airtight boundarybetween the connection nipple 354 and the second recess 332 of thesocket 326 before the first and second electronic connectors 356, 340meet. In other words, the longitudinal distance D1 between the seal 358and the first electronic connector 356 may be greater than thelongitudinal distance D2 between the second recess 332 of the socket 326and the second electronic connector 340. Longitudinal distances D1 andD2 are labeled in FIG. 6A.

Alternatively, the first electronic connector 356 may be disposed at thefirst end 344 of the filter canister 342 and the second electronicconnector 340 may be disposed at or near the plate 350. In thisconfiguration, the longitudinal distance between the seal 458 and thefirst electronic connector 356 may still be greater than thelongitudinal distance between the second recess 332 of the socket 326and the second electronic connector 340 so that a seal is created forsmoke to pass through into the airflow path 308 before the first andsecond electronic connectors 356, 340 meet. It will be appreciated thatboth the first and second electronic connectors 356, 340 may be disposedat various locations on the filter canister 342 and in the socket 326 solong as the relationship between the longitudinal distances mentionedabove remain the same.

These configurations ensure that the smoke evacuation system 300 willnot be activated until the seal has been created so that filtered gasmay not exit the canister outlet 352 until a closed path incommunication with the airflow path 308 has been established. Theseconfigurations may prevent leakage of filtered gas exiting the canisterassembly 342 at the canister outlet 352. These configurations may alsoensure that the smoke evacuation system 300 does not begin drawing smokethrough the filter 306 until the filter canister assembly 342 isinserted fully and properly into the socket 326.

FIG. 7 illustrates a method for connecting a filter canister to a smokeevacuation system 370. In a first step 372, a filter canister isprovided. The filter canister may include a body disposed between firstand second ends, a connection nipple disposed at the second end, a sealdisposed around the connection nipple, a key notch, a cross-sectionalshape, and a first electronic connector.

A second step 374 may include aligning the cross-sectional shape of thefilter canister with a cross-sectional shape of the socket. The socketmay comprise a first recess configured to receive the body of the filtercanister, a second recess configured to receive the connection nipple, atransition surface connecting the first and second recesses, and asecond electronic connector.

A third step 376 may include inserting the filter canister partiallyinto the socket until the seal creates an airtight boundary between theconnection nipple of the filter canister and the second recess of thesocket. A fourth step 378 may include inserting the filter canisterfurther into the socket until the second end of the filter canistermakes contact with the transition surface of the socket and until thefirst and second electronic connectors come into contact with oneanother.

The method of inserting the filter canister described herein creates anairtight boundary between the connection nipple of the canister and thesecond recess of the socket before the electronic connection is made. Inthis way, the electronic memory, which may be configured to activate thesmoke evacuation system, will not be connected until a sealed path thatleads from the connection nipple to the airflow path of the smokeevacuation system has been established. This method may thus preventfiltered gas from leaking out of the filter canister before it is fullyinstalled into the socket of the smoke evacuation system.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. Therefore, the scope of the invention is indicatedby the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges, which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims, are to be embraced within their scope.

What is claimed is:
 1. A smoke evacuation system, comprising: a housing having a socket configured to receive a filter canister assembly at least partially therein, the socket comprising: an alignment feature; and an electronic connector; and a filter canister assembly configured to be at least partially inserted into the socket of the housing, the filter canister assembly comprising: an alignment feature, the alignment feature of the filter canister assembly corresponding to the alignment feature of the socket such that the filter canister assembly can be inserted into the socket when the alignment feature of the filter canister assembly is aligned with the alignment feature of the socket; and an electronic connector, the electronic connector of the filter canister assembly being configured to connect to the electronic connector of the socket when the alignment features of the socket and the filter canister assembly are aligned with one another and the filter canister assembly is fully inserted into the socket.
 2. The smoke evacuation system of claim 1, wherein the alignment feature of the socket comprises a cross-sectional shape with only one line of symmetry.
 3. The smoke evacuation system of claim 2, wherein the alignment feature of the filter canister assembly comprises a cross-sectional shape with only one line of symmetry, the cross-sectional shape of the filter canister assembly being substantially that same as the cross-sectional shape of the socket.
 4. The smoke evacuation system of claim 3, wherein the cross-sectional shapes of the socket and the filter canister assembly comprise teardrop shapes.
 5. The smoke evacuation system of claim 1, wherein the alignment feature of the socket comprises a key or a keyway and the alignment feature of the filter canister assembly comprises the other of a key or a keyway.
 6. The smoke evacuation system of claim 1, wherein the socket comprises a first recess and a second recess.
 7. The smoke evacuation system of claim 6, wherein the filter canister assembly comprises a body and a connection nipple, the body being configured for insertion at least partially into the first recess in the socket and the connection nipple being configured for insertion at least partially into the second recess in the socket.
 8. The smoke evacuation system of claim 7, wherein the connection nipple comprises a seal configured to create an airtight boundary between the connection nipple and the second recess.
 9. The smoke evacuation system of claim 8, wherein: the electronic connector of the socket is mounted therein a first distance away from the second recess; and the electronic connector of the filter canister assembly is mounted thereon a second distance away from the seal of the connection nipple, the second distance being greater than the first distance such that the seal creates an airtight boundary between the second recess and the connection nipple prior to connection of the electronic connectors when the filter canister assembly is inserted into the socket.
 10. A smoke evacuation system, comprising: a housing having a socket configured to receive a filter canister assembly at least partially therein, the socket comprising: a cross-sectional shape with only one line of symmetry; a seal engagement surface; and an electronic connector, the electronic connector and the seal engagement surface being space apart a first distance; and a filter canister assembly configured to be at least partially inserted into the socket of the housing, the filter canister assembly comprising: a cross-sectional shape with only one line of symmetry, the cross- sectional shape of the filter canister assembly corresponding to the cross- sectional shape of the socket such that the filter canister assembly can be inserted into the socket in a single orientation; a seal disposed around an outer surface of the filter canister assembly and configured to engage the seal engagement surface to create an airtight boundary between the housing and the filter canister assembly; and an electronic connector, the electronic connector of the filter canister assembly and the seal being spaced apart a second distance that is greater than the first distance, such that when the cross-sectional shapes of the filter canister assembly and the socket are aligned and the filter canister assembly is inserted into the socket, the seal engages the seal engagement surface before the electronic connectors connect to one another.
 11. The smoke evacuation system of claim 10, wherein the cross-sectional shapes of the socket and the filter canister assembly comprise teardrop or triangular shapes.
 12. The smoke evacuation system of claim 10, wherein the cross-sectional shapes of the socket and the filter canister assembly comprises a mating key and keyway interface.
 13. The smoke evacuation system of claim 10, wherein the electronic connectors of the socket and the filter canister assembly comprise erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) connectors.
 14. The smoke evacuation system of claim 10, wherein: the socket comprises a first recess and a second recess; and the filter canister assembly comprises a body and a connection nipple, the body being configured for insertion into the first recess and the connection nipple being configured for insertion into the second recess.
 15. The smoke evacuation system of claim 14, wherein the first recess comprises the seal engagement surface and the seal is disposed around the connection nipple.
 16. The smoke evacuation system of claim 14, wherein the filter canister assembly further comprises an inlet port at an end thereof opposite to the connection nipple.
 17. A method for connecting a filter in a smoke evacuation system, the method comprising: providing a socket in the smoke evacuation system housing, the socket having one or more alignment features; providing a filter canister assembly, the filter canister assembly having one or more alignment features that correspond to the one or more alignment features of the socket; aligning the one or more alignment features of the filter canister assembly with the one or more alignment features of the socket; creating an airtight boundary between the filter canister assembly and the socket; and creating an electronic connection between the filter canister assembly and the socket.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein aligning the one or more alignment features of the filter canister assembly with the one or more alignment features of the socket aligns an electronic connector on the filter canister assembly with an electronic connector in the socket.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein creating an airtight boundary is completed prior to creating an electronic connection between the filter canister assembly and the socket.
 20. The method of claim 17, wherein: creating an airtight boundary between the filter canister assembly and the socket comprises inserting the filter canister assembly a first distance into the socket; and creating an electronic connection between the filter canister assembly and the socket comprises inserting the filter canister assembly a second distance into the socket, the second distance being greater than the first distance. 